


Promise

by cathcer1984



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Felching, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-23
Updated: 2015-05-23
Packaged: 2018-03-31 19:50:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3990565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cathcer1984/pseuds/cathcer1984
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry and Scorpius are Auror partners who were kidnapped and tortured. This is the story of how they heal.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Promise

**Author's Note:**

> A huge, huge thank you to meglw0228 [](http://meglw0228.dreamwidth.org/profile)[meglw0228](http://meglw0228.dreamwidth.org/) for the fabulous and speedy beta. To magicalthings[](http://www.dreamwidth.org/profile?user=magicalthings)[magicalthings](http://www.dreamwidth.org/profile?user=magicalthings) for all her help through this monster.

  
**Title:** Promise  
 **Author:**  Drarryxlover[](http://www.dreamwidth.org/profile?user=drarryxlover)[ **drarryxlover**](http://www.dreamwidth.org/profile?user=drarryxlover) /Cathcer1984  
 **Pairing:** Harry/Scorpius, mentions of Harry/women, Scorpius/women, canon couples.  
 **Word Count** 20,200  
 **Rating:** NC-17  
 **Contains (Highlight to view):** Spoilers, but violence and explicit sex * explicit sex (felching), violence (whipping is the only obvious reference), mentions of torture (simply that is only mentioned as being torture, but nothing is shown or said.). *  
 **Disclaimer:** Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.  
 **Epilogue compliant?:** Yes to the point of Ron and Hermione and Rose and Hugo and Draco/Astoria and Scorpius. Harry and Ginny never happened.  
 **Notes:** A huge, huge thank you to meglw0228 [](http://meglw0228.dreamwidth.org/profile)[ **meglw0228**](http://meglw0228.dreamwidth.org/) for the fabulous and speedy beta. To magicalthings[](http://www.dreamwidth.org/profile?user=magicalthings)[](http://www.dreamwidth.org/profile?user=magicalthings) **magicalthings**  for all her help through this monster.  
 **Summary:** Harry and Scorpius are Auror partners who were kidnapped and tortured. This is the story of how they heal.

**Artist:**  Imera[](http://imera.dreamwidth.org/profile)[](http://imera.dreamwidth.org/) **imera**  
 **Art Medium:** pencil and charcoal  
 **Art Notes:** Three of the scenes that stayed the longest with me.  


**PROMISE**

“You shouldn’t be here. It’s me they wanted.” Harry whispered harshly into the darkness. "They’ll fucking kill you.”

“They won’t. I’m not as important as you but they could get a shitload of money out of my parents for ransom.” Scorpius hissed back, from somewhere to Harry’s right. He turned his face that way but all he could see was black, he didn’t even know if he had his glasses on or not.

“Great, Scorpius. That’s bloody fantastic, they get magic from me and money from you and they’re laughing all the way to the bank while we’re dead!”

“You’re such a drama queen,” Harry was sure Scorpius rolled his eyes. “Are you still on a chair?”

“Yes.” Harry tugged at his wrists which were tied behind his back, “But I don’t know what I’m tied with. Doesn’t feel like rope or chains.”

“Incarcerous?”

Harry shook his head then realised that Scorpius couldn’t see him, “Don’t think so.”

Scorpius hummed thoughtfully and then fell silent. They were silent for a long while, Harry tried to shift his position but his shoulders protested. The pain in his side, where he was sure he had a broken rib was excruciating. “Scorpius?”

“I’m here.” When they were alone in the darkness they’d talk, about non-consequential things in case their captors were listening. “How long do you think it’s been?”

“Dunno. Could murder a cup of tea though.”

Scorpius snorted with laughter and Harry smiled. Their captors were smart, Harry wasn’t really sure why they’d been taken, he’d heard bits and pieces about magic draining, and gold. He figured they wanted his magic, and as Scorpius had said, the Malfoy gold.

They were kept in the dark all the time, except when their captors wanted information, the lights would blind them and one of them was taken away. When they took Harry they beat him, Crucio mostly, but sometimes he’d be punched and kicked. He just hoped that Scorpius wasn’t tortured like that.

They were given water, and a few scraps of food but not enough, he was hungry all the time and Harry was sure he’d lost weight, both fat and muscle mass. And assumed Scorpius was the same.  
The other man shouldn’t even be there; they were Auror partners and had been for the past two years. It had taken a lot for Harry to trust Scorpius, to look at him and not see his father was difficult. He understood Snape now, in a way.

On sight Harry wanted to hate Scorpius, to request another partner but he couldn’t, Kingsley told him to “grow up, Harry, he’s the best. His test results are on a par with yours at everything but wandless magic.”

Gasping Harry had an idea.

“What’s wrong? Are you in pain?”

“No, well yes, but no. I had an idea. Just, just be quiet a moment yeah?”

Scorpius said nothing more and Harry closed his eyes, reached deep inside himself, he could see the bright blue pool of magic in his mind. He wanted to access it and at least, light the room so they could assess the area and the damage.

As soon as he let the magic flow down his arms, Harry felt a white hot burning pain and he lost his grip on his magic and his balance in the chair. He hit the ground with a painful thud, heard Scorpius calling him from afar while he gasped for air. “I- I can’t.”

“Can’t what? Harry, talk to me. Where are you?”

“Floor.” He gasped out.

There was a scraping noise as Scorpius tried to manoeuvre himself closer, not that he’d be able to help Harry but his close presence would be a comfort. A foot touched his shoulder and Scorpius asked, “Is that you?”

“Yeah.”

Harry clenched his jaw to keep from screaming as he rolled himself onto his knees, he collapsed back onto his side when a burning light lit up the room. He screwed his eyes up, trying to move his head towards the floor so he didn’t have to hurt.

He was unceremoniously picked up off the floor, his chair shoved back and away from where he could hear Scorpius shouting profanities, half of which Harry had never heard Scorpius say. There was a hot breath on his neck and someone, a woman, whispered in his ear “Wandless magic, you naughty boy, think we didn’t account for that? You’re little friend will pay for your sins.”

“SCORPIUS!” Harry shouted as loud as he could.

“Harry! Harry!” Scorpius cried back, there was a sound of struggle and Harry tried to open his eyes but the light made them water and sting. “Get your filthy fucking hands off of me! You great cunt, you son of a bitch! Bastards hiding in the dark-”

The silence was overwhelming.

Scorpius was gone. They were going to hurt him and Harry would never forgive himself if Scorpius was irreparably damaged, physically or mentally. Logically he knew that as an Auror Scorpius had trained for this just as much as Harry had.

It took a long time before Harry noticed the lights were off and the brightness behind his lids was an echo.

He stayed silent, his mind racing, praying and hoping that Scorpius would be all right, that he would come back.

It felt like hours before the lights came back on and Scorpius was dumped into the room. Harry waited until it was dark before speaking. “All right, Scorpius?”

“Yeah.” His voice was raspy, as though he’d been screaming. “The fucking cunts can’t break me.”

Harry snorted softly. That wasn’t true, everybody had a breaking point, everybody had a weakness.

If they got out, _when_ they got out he amended, he would apologise to Draco Malfoy for putting his only son into such a horrific situation. Harry thought to himself as he listened to Scorpius’ breathy gasps as he cried.

***

It seemed like it had only been five minutes since the last time the lights came on, Harry froze in his seat. It was unusual and out of character for the captors, they never took them this close together.

He kept his eyes closed as he tried to listen to what was going on. Footsteps came closer and unconsciously Harry flinched and curled in on himself.

“Harry?”

“I’m here,” he answered Scorpius.

“Harry!” A new voice sounded, filled with relief and a strong arm gripped his shoulder, though when he cried out in pain the grip softened but the hand stayed put. “Give us a minute Harry; we’re trying to figure out how to get these binds off you.”

“Ron?”

“Yeah, mate.” Ron’s voice was soft and Harry reached forward with his head. Ron shifted and when Harry’s head met his best friend’s chest he broke down and cried. Ron’s hand moved to grip his hair and judging by the deep breaths Ron took he too was trying to contain his emotions.

“Fucking took you long enough,” Harry said eventually and Ron chuckled.

“Sorry about that, but bloody paper pushers at the Ministry wanted all the correct paperwork. If I have to fill out another form…” He trailed off, and started to move.

“No. Please, Ron-”

“I’m not going anywhere, mate, I’m just going to crouch down and kneel by you, so I can get to Malfoy as well.”

It wasn’t until then that Harry realised how silent Scorpius had been. “How is he?”

Ron hesitated.

“ _Ron_.”

“Not good, Harry. His hair is more red than blond, he’s unconscious too.”

“Shit.”

“Healers are on their way. We had to clear the building, make it safe. But as soon as I saw you two here, I stayed.”

Nodding, because he knew Ron would see it, Harry allowed himself to relax. “Can’t you untie me?”

“Don’t know what we’re dealing with. Nothing I’ve ever seen before.”

Swallowing Harry admitted, “Stopped me using wandless magic. Does Scorpius have the same ones?”

“Yep. Though instead of being blue they’re black.”

“What do you mean?”

Ron was quiet and Harry could feel his eyes on him. “You haven’t seen them?”

“Can’t. They kept us in the dark. Light hurts,” Harry gritted his teeth as his mind overrode his pride.

The light disappeared almost immediately, and Harry blinked his eyes open. There was a soft glow coming from beyond the doorway and it was more than enough for Harry to be able to see by.

Ron was really there. Realistically he’d known that, having heard and felt him but it was more reassuring to see him. He had black bags under his eyes, a beard growing, and his wand was clenched in the hand that wasn’t holding Harry’s head.

“Mate-”

“I know.”

Harry smiled and to see Ron smile back was more warming than a fire at that moment. He looked around and spotted Scorpius two feet away. Ron was right, he was in bad shape.

Scorpius’ hair was bloody; there was a gash along the side of his face. 'With his glasses back on Harry could see Scorpius' wrist, bloody and burnt, and tied with the black binding.His ankles, like Harry’s, were strapped to the front two legs of the chair, with a bind that was blue.

“Shit.”

“Yeah, I think we’ll need to get him to Saint Mungo’s as soon as possible. Merlin only knows if he has any other kind of injury, internal bleeding. You too, mate, but the fact that he’s unconscious makes it worse.”

“Course.” Harry nodded his eyes still on the black binds around Scorpius’ wrists.

Ron, following Harry’s eye line said “Yours are a bit like that too, only just a bit black. You know, mildly singed.”

“Burns?”

“Looks like.” Ron bent round and said, “Close your eyes; I’m gunna cast a Lumos.”

“Done.”

A light flared up and immediately Harry tensed, relaxing only when he heard Ron’s voice. “Your binds are a bit singed and slightly black, as if you tried to burn them off. Malfoy’s-“ Ron hesitated. “Malfoy’s binds are completely black, and- fuck this is sick, his wrists are burnt too. Badly. And chaffed. Fucking hell.”  
Clenching his jaw Harry tried not to vomit. Scorpius had tried to use wandless magic and figured out there was a barrier of some sort, but he kept trying. Weakening them, or the charm, hopefully, every time he tried though he mutilated his own wrists in the process.

“Nox.”

Harry opened his eyes only to see the light from the hallway being blocked by people as they ran into the room. “Healers, Harry.” Ron whispered into his ear.

“Don’t turn on the lights. Their eyes are very sensitive.”

“Of course, Weasley,” Parkinson drawled. She was one of the DMLE’s resident Healers, and despite her personal attachment, much like Ron, nothing would have stopped her from coming to save her godson, not even the Head Auror.

Watching intently Harry kept his eyes on Parkinson as she looked over Scorpius. In the dim light he could see the way she bit her lip hard enough to draw blood, Ron obviously did too for he motioned two other Healers over before letting go of Harry.

“Come on, Parkinson.” Ron gripped her upper arm and pulled her away. “Pansy,” he said when she resisted. “Look after Harry.”

She knelt next to Harry and looked into his face. Harry swallowed. “I’m sorry.”

Parkinson shook her head, her black hair brushing her cheeks. “Not your fault.”

Harry stayed silent though he knew she was wrong. It was _his_ fault that Scorpius was in this mess, they hadn’t wanted him but when Harry was leaving the Ministry, when they ambushed him, Scorpius had followed. Wanting to talk to him about what had just happened between them, he got caught up in the scramble but Harry had thought he’d got away.

He’d done everything in his power to make sure Scorpius got away, but then he woke up to blackness and panicked and Scorpius had spoken to him, calmed him down. “Harry, it’s all right. It’s okay, Harry. We’re okay. We’ll be okay.”

As soon as he’d become rational again and realised that Scorpius was in the room with him, Harry’s chest ached and he felt sick. Now, Harry was sure it would take at least forty-eight hours before anyone could do anything, therefore it would be at least seventy-two before they found them. If Harry had been taken alone, Scorpius would have known within the hour, he wouldn’t have let Harry hide and would have sorted him out.

Then, when, the DMLE told him he’d have to wait forty-eight hours, Scorpius would have shoved protocol and searched for him unofficially. But they were both trapped and beaten and broken, or close to it.

“How long?”

“Eight days, mate,” Ron said quietly.

“Fuck.”

Ron didn’t say anything, neither did Parkinson as she ran a gentle hand over Harry’s shoulder. “These, these will be stiff and moving them from this position will hurt. And, you have a broken rib, maybe two, and- and-“  
“It’s all right. You don’t have to,” Harry said quietly. He knew what she was thinking, if these were some of the injuries Harry had and he was still conscious what was wrong with Scorpius?

Kingsley came into the room then, it was odd Harry thought, for the Minster for Magic to be outside of the office or a meeting, but when two of your Aurors, one being a close friend, were found after being AWOL for eight days, meetings and propriety were hanged.

“Let’s get them to Saint Mungo’s, Malfoy is in bad shape. Get those binds off, slice ‘em, cut ‘em I don’t give a fuck. Get them off. Now!” Kingsley commanded, and he strode up to Harry , peered down at him, “Don’t you dare scare me like that again Potter.” Harry nodded. He knew Kingsley was worried, he only called Harry ‘Potter’ when he was distancing himself. “And Parkinson. Knock him out.”

Ron instantly moved to touch Harry, speaking quietly to him about a Cannons match and keeping him calm as the low light disappeared and he was once again consumed by darkness but this time he didn’t, _couldn’t_ , panic.

***

When Harry woke again, he kept himself still, under the illusion of sleep as he assessed his surroundings. There was only a dull ache in his shoulders, his ribs didn’t hurt and most of the other aches and pains were gone. He was lying down, on something soft and no longer cold.

Cracking his eyes open in case this was a new form of torture, some sort of mindfuck that would make him feel like he was safe and then they’d start to drain his magic after having it being dulled by the bindings.

The room was softly lit, there were stone walls and the familiar smell of an infirmary assaulted his nostrils. When Harry saw that there were no people ready to take his magic or drug him into acquiescence, he slowly started to sit up. Grateful that whoever had brought him here had kept the light low and his glasses on, on the bedside table was his wand.

Reaching out a shaky hand Harry picked it up feeling a rush of warmth go through him as the wand and his magic met after eight days, or maybe more now, apart. It was then that Harry noticed the silence and the emptiness of the room.

There was no one ready to hurt him but there was also no Scorpius. Harry flung the covers off and stood, his legs collapsing under him after a step. “SCORPIUS!” he roared, and a door that he had missed in his scouting burst open.

Harry raised his wand and shouted, “Where is he!?”

“Mister Potter,” the witch said, “Harry.” She lowered her wand and continued to speak as she came closer, “Scorpius is recovering. He’s in the room next door; he is magically exhausted not to mention the other injuries. He did a number on himself trying to get free of those binds, the skin and muscles on his left wrist were terribly damaged. But he’s okay, Harry. I promise you.”

All Harry could do as she knelt down next to him was look into her face and blurt. “Madam Pomfrey?”

She smiled kindly, her eyes wet with tears, and she embraced him. “My dear boy. Let’s get you back on the bed. If you’re good and let me examine you without complaining and moving I’ll take you to see Scorpius.”

“Okay.”

Harry sat calmly on the bed and waited as Madam Pomfrey - “Call me Poppy, dear” - cast spell after spell at him. She gave him a pain potion and told him to wait, Harry fidgeted with the blanket over his lap ready to give up waiting and try and walk, or if he must, crawl to Scorpius’ room when she came back with a muggle wheelchair.

“Handy isn’t it?” Poppy helped Harry into the chair and guided it into the adjoining room.

Harry took in a sharp breath.

Scorpius was lying asleep, or in a coma, on the bed. His blond hair free of blood, the cut on the side of his face cleaned up and healed. His right wrist was healed nicely too, but his left was bandaged and there were spots of blood seeping through.

On the other side of the bed were Scorpius’ parents, their faces drawn and pinched with worry. Harry licked his lips and said, his voice hoarse, “Malfoy, _Draco_ , Astoria. I am so sorry. This shouldn’t have happened to him.”

“He knew what he was signing up for.” Draco said sharply, not quite meeting Harry’s eyes.

“You don’t understand. He shouldn’t have been there. He was caught up when they, when they, uh, _got_ me.”

A gentle hand on his shoulder gave Harry comfort but also told him that was enough, and looking at the Malfoys perhaps he had gone too far. Astoria had silent tears streaming down her cheeks and Draco’s face was cold and stony, he stood and left the room. His wife muttered an apology and followed.

“I’ll be back soon. I need to update Minerva on your condition.”

As soon as Poppy was gone Harry reached out a hand and touched Scorpius’ hair, before bending his head to press a kiss to the skin just above his bandaged left wrist. “I’m sorry. This is all my fault. Why did you keep doing the wandless magic? It hurt, I know it hurts. I did it. How did you keep going?  
“Fuck, Scorpius. You’re so strong. Stronger than me at any rate. So brave, Scorpius.” With a sigh Harry rested his head next to Scorpius’s side, sliding a hand down to rest on his chest so he could feel, both, the movement and his heartbeat.

Closing his eyes, just for a moment he told himself, Harry let his breathing even out and he dozed, not quite asleep but when the door opened and two pairs of footsteps sounded he couldn’t drag himself out of his half asleep state.

“I just had to see for myself, Poppy, you understand?” McGonagall’s Scottish brogue sounded and Harry felt even safer; she was almost as formidable as Dumbledore in her old age.

“The poor dears,” Poppy said as she straightened the blanket on Scorpius’ bed and added one around Harry’s shoulders. “They’ve been through so much, both of them.”

“I know.” McGonagall agreed before falling silent as the door opened again. “Mister and Missus Malfoy,” she greeted.

“Headmistress.” Draco said, “I want Potter away from my son.”

“Keep your voice down Mister Malfoy. Son or not, I’m not afraid to throw you out if you disturb either of my patients.”

“With all due respect, Madam,” Draco’s voice was hard.

“Leave him be, Draco.” Astoria said quietly, “Leave them be.”

Harry could have kissed her, if he had the energy to move, and wanted to be punched by Draco.

“I’m going to move Harry into this room,” Poppy said. Draco made a sound of protest but she over talked him, “You heard how hysterical he was when he couldn’t see Scorpius, what if Scorpius is the same way? His magic is low, and dangerous and uncontrollable, if he panics and his magic lashes out it could kill him, and anyone nearby. Seeing Harry, as soon as he wakes would help him. And if Scorpius wakes and doesn’t want Harry here, I will move him back. Alright?”

He didn’t hear any more of the conversation as he dropped into a very deep sleep.

***  
  
When Harry next woke up the room was still softly lit, he glanced quickly to his right and saw, with a sigh of relief, Scorpius lying there still asleep and still with his wrist bandaged but his face was completely healed, the skin no longer pink.

The room was empty so Harry assumed it must have been night time and Scorpius’ parents had gone home. Harry tried to swallow but his throat was dry, he tried to call for help but no sound came out and he became hysterical.

His limbs thrashed as he fought against the blankets and the logical part of his mind telling him that he was safe and at Hogwarts. Harry’s breathing quickened and his uncontrolled arm smashed the water jug to the ground where it shattered and bled water across the stones.

He couldn’t breathe, his side was starting to hurt and he thought he was back. They _had_ healed him only to torture him again, using charms or polyjuice to make it seem like Ron, and Poppy and McGonagall and even the Malfoys had been there.

“Harry!”

Harry tried to escape from the voice, twisting away and a pair of strong arms gripped his sore shoulders forcing him down onto the bed. Ron’s, Fake-Ron’s, face loomed in front of his, and Harry snarled and lashed out trying to fight.

“Mate. It’s Ron. Ron Weasley, I walked out on you and found you in the Forest of Dean,” Ron was speaking quickly and Harry snapped trying to bite him, hurt him in any way. What Fake-Ron was saying was public knowledge, and he seemed to realise this “The Horcrux, I stabbed it. After, after it showed you and Hermione together, kissing. You stood up for me at my wedding, you punched me when I tried to run. Healed me immediately after so Hermione wouldn’t know.”

As the words permeated Harry’s brain and he noticed that Ron was saying things that only the two of them knew he began to calm down, his body easing under Ron’s hands. A glass of water was at his lips and he swallowed greedily moaning when it was taken away, “Not too much, now.” A soft voice said and he turned to look at Poppy who smiled softly. “I’ll give you some more water in ten minutes okay. You have visitors Harry.”

Looking over her shoulder he saw Hermione cowering against the back wall hands over her mouth and eyes glassy with tears. Immediately Harry felt terrible, he’d never seen Hermione looking so scared. Shrugging off Ron’s hands Harry held his shaking arms open for her. Hermione surged forward and pulled Harry into a tight hug.

Her tears wet his neck and he buried his face in her hair, whispering, “I’m okay. I’m okay. I’m okay.” Over and over.

When Hermione pulled away Harry moved his head closer and pressed a kiss to her cheek, resting his head against her temple. One of Ron’s hands found Hermione’s by Harry’s neck and the other rested on Harry’s thigh. The three of them stayed like that for a moment, taking comfort in each other.

The sound of the door opening pulled them from their embrace and Poppy came close enough to hand the glass of water over to Hermione, who, in turn, helped Harry drink it. “Better?” She asked when he had emptied the glass.

“Much.” Harry fell into silence, not missing the way Ron and Hermione looked at each other over his head.

“Do you want to talk about it, Harry?”

Snorting softly he said, “No, Hermione I don’t.”

She licked her lips and took his hand, “Okay. But when you do, I’ll listen, all right?”

He squeezed her hand, “I know.” Harry turned to look over at Scorpius again, watching his chest rise and fall for affirmation that he was still breathing, still alive.

“How long has it been since you-” Harry looked pointedly at Ron who grimaced.

“Two days.”

“So ten days.” Harry nodded to himself, “What’s going on?”

When Ron hesitated and looked to Hermione, Harry squeezed her hand and she sighed, “Kingsley’s furious, it’s terrifying.”

“Why?”

“It looks like it was internal.” Ron said, his voice tight, “The binds they used were prototypes from the Department of Mysteries, they knew the Auror defensive tactics as well. It explains how they were able to overwhelm you, and Malfoy, and take both of you.”

“They didn’t want him.” Harry looked back over to Scorpius, “They were going to leave him alone but I couldn’t- I couldn’t let that happen, not when it was my fault he was there. He came after me,” Harry paused shaking his head and closing his eyes. “He got tortured because I let it happen. If I had just told them what they wanted then-”

“Then you’d both be dead.”

Turning to look at Ron, taking in his sincere face devoid of beard but not the dark circles under his blue eyes, Harry said. “Look at him. Look at _him_ , he’d be better off dead and sometimes, so would I.”

“Oh Harry!” Hermione cried before pulling back into a hug, more for her sake than his. Harry kept his eyes on Ron, though. When his best friend nodded in understanding Harry sent him a bitter smile.

“Don’t worry Hermione, I’ve been through worse. I’m not going to top myself, promise.”

“You do me a favour?”

“Course.”

She pulled back and wiped her wet cheeks with her sleeve, “You come to me. Don’t dwell, or hide, you come to me.”

He stroked a hand over her head, “Promise.”

***

Ron and Hermione stayed for over two hours, most of the time the three of them were silent, and Harry dozed off for a bit but when he woke they were still there. He was grateful for them, and he didn’t know how he would have coped if he didn’t have them both. He wondered momentarily if Scorpius had friends like Ron and Hermione but he dismissed the idea as foolish.

Harry knew Scorpius had no friends, other than Harry. He’d spent his Hogwarts years, much like Harry had spent his childhood, bullied and hiding. Trying to make himself as invisible as possible without giving people a reason to tease, punish or pretend nothing was going on.

When Harry was assigned as Scorpius’ senior Auror partner, he’d stormed into Ron’s office and raged for half an hour but Ron remained firm and sent Harry away. When he got back to his cubicle, Scorpius was there.

He was sitting in the guest chair, his back ramrod straight and shoulders back, his chin high and jaw clenched. His hair was long then, pulled back into a ponytail that fell between his shoulder blades.

Harry didn’t trust him. The ponce.

Scorpius didn’t say a word and his eyes didn’t waver from Harry, “Get out.” Harry had snarled and Scorpius nodded, his gaze became assessing and rose gracefully from his seat and left without a word.

When Harry got into work the next morning Scorpius was back in Harry’s guest seat, this time he was reclining in the chair, one leg crossed over the other and robes fluttering around his ankles in the gentle breeze caused by Harry’s arrival, like a woman Harry had thought caustically. There was a file open on Scorpius lap and his finger was delicately poised ready to turn the page.

“Get out.” Harry repeated but Scorpius didn’t. This time he closed the file and handed it to Harry, waiting patiently for Harry to open the file and read it.

It was for a lost cat.

Harry glowered at the file, then at Scorpius. “Wait here,” he snarled before storming into Ron’s office.

“A cat? A fucking cat!”

“Kneazle, actually.” Ron laughed, “I’m not giving you any decent cases until you can trust your partner.”

“Partner? He’s barely out of Hogwarts.”

Ron nodded, “He’s quite brilliant.”

“He says nothing.”

“Why should he?” Ron grinned, “You told him to get out. Twice.”

“He’s a fucking nancy, he’s not going to last.”

Ron’s face hardened. “I never took you for homophobic Harry, but whatever Scorpius Malfoy’s sexuality is, it is no concern of yours. Now, I believe a little girl has lost her cat. Get out my office.”

Furious, Harry left and growled at Scorpius, “Come on,” as he picked up his robes. They left the Ministry and apparated to Leeds and knocked on the required door.

“Have you come to find Missus Pickles?” A young girl, no more than eight asked her brown eyes wide and filled with tears.

Harry was surprised when Scorpius knelt down to her level, “Yes we have.” His voice was smooth and deep, deeper than Harry had assumed, “When did you last see Missus Pickles?”

“Yesterday. We was playing and then I couldn’t find her.” The girl started to cry and there was a slight noise behind her.

“And what’s your name?”

“Sammy. Sammy Cook.”

The door opened further before Scorpius could say anything to Sammy, he rose and Sammy’s mother blinked in surprise. “Can I help you Aurors?”

“Missus Cook?” Scorpius asked, when she nodded he continued, “We received information that Sammy’s kneazle, Missus Pickles, has gone missing. We’ve come to investigate.”

Barely refraining from rolling his eyes, Harry nodded in confirmation when Missus Cook looked to him. “Um, Sammy, what have I told you about bothering the Aurors with trivial things? Missus Pickles will come back.”

“But if she doesn’t-”

“It’s still not something you bother Aurors with. They have more important things to do.”

Scorpius smiled at Sammy, “There’s no small case, Missus Cook, only small Aurors.” He cast a sidelong glance at Harry. “We’re happy to help find Missus Pickles.”

It took Scorpius two minutes to find the kneazle, Harry could have socked him one when he’d come out of the garden with a fluffy white thing in his arms. Judging by the way Sammy squealed in delight, it was Missus Pickles.

They’d stayed for a cup of tea, and Scorpius happily chatted with both mother and daughter while Harry scowled into his cup. “Congratulations,” he’d said nastily when they’d left. “You can save cats all over Britain and keep little girls from crying into their blankies.”

“I have no problem helping a little girl. Pets have a huge impact on a child; my owl was my only friend when I was younger.” The way he’d said it brought Harry’s mind to Hedwig and he could understand.

They got back to the Ministry and Scorpius went to the DMLE while Harry made his way to Kingsley's office and waited an hour, for a two minute meeting.

“I want a new partner.”

“Take it up with the Head Auror, Harry.”

“He’s a stubborn arse.”

Kingsley had laughed then and Harry frowned. “Why do you want a change of partner?”

“He’s a Malfoy.”

Harry had never seen Kingsley disappointed before and it made him feel childish. Kingsley said, “Grow up, Harry, he’s the best. His test results are on a par with yours at everything but wandless magic.”

“Books. Rote learning.” Harry had argued.

“You know as well as I do that the practical exams are just as important and difficult and worth fifty percent of the mark. Go back to work, I have better things to do.”

It took four stupid cases and two weeks before Harry invited Scorpius for a drink after work.

He hadn’t expected the younger man to decline.

***

Harry was never left alone after the second time he woke. Poppy would sit with him, and Scorpius most of the nights, McGonagall would come by on Tuesdays and Thursdays, afternoons and evenings—Harry had finally found out what the day was and how to tell the time by the visitors.

Often he would wake to one of the Weasleys, usually Molly, sometimes Arthur, when she couldn’t make it. Ron and Hermione would pop in during the weekend, George would come on Wednesdays.

Mondays and Fridays were the worst. The Malfoys came then, Draco would glare at Harry and Astoria, mostly, would sob. When she wasn’t crying she tried to talk to Harry but he didn’t want to know. She never quite broached the subject of what had happened to them but she hovered near it, as if waiting for Harry to pick up on her hints and be the first to speak about it.

He wasn’t going to though. Not to Scorpius’ mother. She’d be horrified and heart broken, and Harry couldn’t honestly tell her everything that had happened to Scorpius because he didn’t know-they were taken away from the cold room they’d been found in and as soon as they were taken away, they had learnt to expect pain.

During the day on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays a musculoskeletal specialist healer came into the room to manipulate Harry and Scorpius’ limbs so their muscles didn’t atrophy any more.

It was a quiet Saturday when Scorpius woke up, three weeks after they’d been freed. Harry was able to walk around the room and the lights were only slightly duller than normal light, soon he’d be able to go outside at dawn and dusk. Not during the height of the day, when the sun was at its brightest. His eyes wouldn’t be able to cope with that for another two weeks or so. If ever.

Harry was sitting in bed, Poppy had to attend to a student who had been in a nasty Quidditch accident and McGonagall was busy reprimanding the Beater who had illegally hit the bludger after the final whistle.

The groan that sounded made Harry freeze in his tracks, it took him a few seconds to realise that it had come from the other bed and when he turned around Harry was so pleased to see Scorpius’ head moving and his eyes blinking frantically.

“No,” Scorpius said, though no sound came out and Harry read the word on his lips.

He rushed forward, snagging his wand from his bedside table and dimming the lights, “Scorpius. Scorpius, it’s Harry. You’re safe, we’re okay, we’re at Hogwarts. I promise we’re okay. You can open your eyes, now, it won’t hurt. I promise I won’t let anything hurt you again.”

Blue eyes blinked open and Harry leant over so Scorpius could see him fully. When Scorpius started to cry Harry sat on the bed next to his hip and lay down so he could bring his young partner into his embrace.

Scorpius crying brought back memories of that final time in The Room, before they were rescued, when Harry could only hear the soft, breathy sobs. But now, seeing the tears flood Scorpius’ eyes and seeing his cheeks and nose turn pink, _seeing_ him fall apart broke Harry.

It took until Scorpius’ injured hand was reaching up to pet uselessly at Harry’s cheeks before he realised that he, too, was crying. With a small smile he pulled away and gently lowered Scorpius’ left arm, he wiped his face and then Scorpius’.

Harry breathed Scorpius in. Memorising the way he looked. The way his hair curled around his eyes and the way his eyes were blood shot and so, so blue. Scorpius’ lips parted and his tongue darted out and Harry could see that he needed water; his mouth must have been so dry.

“I’ll be right back. I’m just going to get you some water,” Harry said and he slowly moved from Scorpius’ side, around the bed and to the table by his own. He poured some water into a glass and was back by Scorpius’ side within a minute, but it was long enough for Scorpius to get nervous and he couldn’t hide his look of relief when he saw Harry again.

Tipping the glass against Scorpius’ lips Harry watched as it spilt over the sides, and down the corners of his mouth and along his neck. When the glass was half empty Harry pulled it away, silencing Scorpius’ protest, “I can’t give you anymore. Poppy would kill me, you can have some more soon.”

“Ar-” Scorpius coughed and tried again, his voice was little louder than a whisper and Harry leant in to hear him better. “Are w’ really safe?”

“Yes, we really are.” Harry smiled gently. “I give you my word¸ we’re safe. We’ve been safe for three weeks, it’s Saturday today.”

“Why’re you aw’ke?”

Harry frowned as Scorpius slurred his words, however because Poppy was busy Harry had to try and keep him conscious until she could examine him. “Because I was still awake when they rescued us. Ron, Kingsley and Parkinson were all there.”

“Aun’ Pan’y.”

“Yeah,” Harry stroked a hand down Scorpius’ face. “That’s right, Pansy. She was there. And your mum and dad have been visiting, I’m sure they’ll come soon when they know you are awake. Pansy too.

“You exhausted your magic,” Harry responded to Scorpius’ frustrated look. He knew his partner well enough that they were able to communicate without words sometimes, and Scorpius wanted his question answered. “Your body needed to rest to be able to replenish it and I’m here in case you panicked when you woke up.”

“Woul’ n’t.”

“I did.”

Scorpius’ brows rose in surprise and Harry ducked his head as he flushed, “I did. When I couldn’t see you I thought that they’d fucked with my mind.” Harry didn’t elaborate, telling himself that it was for Scorpius’ sake and not his own.

When Scorpius lifted his left arm Harry, again, pressed it back down. Keeping his hand on Scorpius’ arm above the bandage, Harry’s thumb stroked over the smooth skin there. “The binds, Scorpius. You kept trying to break the binds that held our magic in check, you really hurt your wrist, why did you keep going?”

“I w’s close.”

“Close? Close to what?”

Scorpius never got to answer because the door opened and Poppy came in, she gasped and she smiled. “Scorpius, love, how are you feeling?”

“Tir’d.”

“Tired, well that’s to be expected. Anything else?”

“I’m hung’y. An’ I feel dir’y.”

Poppy smiled but Harry didn’t miss the way she had her lips pursed while Scorpius spoke, they exchanged a glance and Harry quickly said “I gave him half a glass of water.”

“Good. I’m going to let your parents know you’re awake, get some sleep Scorpius they’ll be here when you wake up.”

She hesitated when he only nodded and Harry turned away from her to see Scorpius looking up at him for affirmation. “She’s right, Draco and Astoria will be here when you wake up again,” impulsively Harry bent down and pressed his lips to Scorpius’ forehead, “Get some more sleep, visitors are exhausting.”

“’Kay.” Scorpius said easily before closing his eyes, Harry stayed by his side pretending he didn’t hear the door click shut behind Poppy as she left. He refused to be embarrassed by caring about his friend and partner, but Harry couldn’t help but feel his cheeks heat anyway.

***

It had taken two months of Harry asking Scorpius every week for a drink, after that first time, before Scorpius accepted. They walked to the Leaky Cauldron after work, not talking.

Scorpius immediately headed towards the back where he commandeered a table with a good vantage point of the stairs leading down from the rooms, the floo and the two entrances, one from Diagon Alley and the one from Charing Cross road. Harry huffed a laugh and made his way to the bar; he greeted Hannah and asked for two of his usual.

“Really, he doesn’t look like a pint kind of guy.” She’d grinned and poured a white wine, “More upper class, bit young for you isn’t he?”

“Shut up Hannah!” Harry had growled, “You know I prefer my dates to have tits.”

“Ah yes, so you keep saying. But with his long hair, he sure is pretty enough.” She winked and waved away his money, “On the house.”

“Cheers,” Harry grabbed his pint and Scorpius’ wine and made his way back to the table. Scorpius’ eyebrows rose in surprise, always surprise and never in derision like his father, when Harry placed the glass of white wine before him.

“Thank you. I had worried you’d get me a pint,” Scorpius took a sip and smiled as he eyed Harry over the glass.

Taking a large gulp of his beer to hide his embarrassment Harry wracked his mind for something to say when he saw Scorpius tense and his eyes following a rowdy group, who had just entered behind Harry.

Harry turned to look and saw that there were about six men, all loud and young and Harry thought he recognised one of them but he quickly turned to Scorpius who was sitting much like he had that first day in Harry’s cubicle. Back straight, shoulders drawn and chin high, his defensive pose.

“So-“ Harry started but was interrupted by the men shouting again.

“Hey, hey look!” One of them shouted, “It’s the fag.”

Scorpius’ cheeks tinged pink and his fingers played delicately with the stem of his wine glass, Harry knew that his left hand was clenched around his wand. Staying silent Harry watched Scorpius as the men drew near, they hadn’t noticed him, “All alone, Fag? Don’t have a boy to fuck you like the filthy thing you are?”

“I prefer _men_ to boys, a distinction I am sure you don’t understand just yet. Don’t worry, boys-“ Scorpius drawled back but one of the men growled and his hand slammed onto the table.

Harry stared up at him and blinked in shock.

“That’s enough.” Harry said and Scorpius glanced at him, wondering why he was interrupting. The group, as one, turned to him.

“Who the fuck do you think you are?” The one who had slammed down his hand, and who had done most of the talking said. Slowly Harry stood and drew himself up to his full height and looked down at the boy, watching at the way his eyes went wide.

“I said, that’s enough Hugo.”

Ron and Hermione’s son licked his lips nervously, his eyes darted from Harry to Scorpius and to the men beside him. “Let’s get out of here.” He muttered and left pushing through his friends.

“What? Hugo, man! We going to let some old guy stop us.”

“When that old guy is Harry Potter then yeah we are.” Hugo, trying to save face in front of his friends turned round to Harry and called out loudly, “Bachelor my arse. Didn’t know you were a fucking faggot too, Uncle Harry.”

Harry sat down slowly and took a sip of his beer, “What?” he asked Scorpius when he caught the blond looking at him.

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“I spent my life standing up against bullies, of all shapes and sizes. No matter whom they are, family or not. Besides, you’re my partner, I have to trust you more than anyone.”

Scorpius cast a glance around the pub and downed the rest of his wine, “I’ll see you at work Harry.” And then he left.

Harry scrambled out of his seat and with a brief wave to Hannah followed Scorpius out onto Charing Cross road. “What did I do wrong?” He panted as he caught up to Scorpius.

“Nothing.”

Something about the way Scorpius said it made Harry stop and think, think about the encounter and what little he knew of Scorpius’ past. “You were bullied by them weren’t you? It wasn’t a one off thing, was it?”

“No, it wasn’t.” Scorpius kept walking and Harry called out after him.

“My cousin used to hold me down and punch me. He and his friends would ‘Harry Hunt’, where they’d chase me and the winner got to punch me as a reward and Dudley beat me anyway because _he_ had that right.”

“It was never physical. They’d just call me names, tell me I was worthless and useless and a _fag_.” Harry walked closer when Scorpius wrapped his arms around himself, and he could see the tears in Scorpius’ eyes.

“You believed them.”

Nodding Scorpius said bitterly, “How can you not, when you’re told something day in and day out. I stopped eating in the Great Hall and then, of course, I didn’t eat at all. I got sent to Poppy, Madam Pomfrey, and then she figured out the truth. I never told, she let me stay with her in the Hospital Wing until curfew and I spent my life trying to be invisible.”

“I was lucky, I got to escape. I came into the magical world but you, Scorpius you couldn’t. But you are worthy, you are better than any of them. Did you know your Auror test results are as good as mine? We’re going to be the best team there is.” Harry held out his hand, “I know I wasn’t great with you, in the beginning, but I’m willing to try. We’re not all that different.”

“No,” Scorpius murmured, a half smile on his face, as he took Harry’s hand. “No we’re not.”

***

When Scorpius next woke Harry was feigning sleep, he’d only woken up a few minutes ago and heard Draco and Astoria talking quietly. He pretended to stay asleep so that when Scorpius woke up he could have some semblance of privacy with his parents.

“Scorpius, sweetheart,” Astoria said, her voice hushed.

Harry was unsurprised to hear nothing from Scorpius, it would be difficult for him. His parents wouldn’t know how to deal with him right now and Scorpius wouldn’t know how to react.

He lay there listening to Astoria and Draco natter on; he heard the rustling of sheets as Scorpius tried to move, “What is it, sweetheart?”

“Ha’ry.”

“Harry?” Draco asked sharply. “What do you want Potter for? It’s his bloody fault!”

“Ha’ry!” Scorpius wailed, loud enough for Harry to pretend he woke. He opened his eyes and turned round in the bed to face Scorpius, Harry hurried from the bed stumbling as he fought against the blankets.

“Hey,” Harry said as he looked at Scorpius, whose eyes were heavy and unfocused. “I’m here. I’m here and we’re okay.”

“Prom’s’.”

“Promise.” Harry smiled, he put one hand on the side of Scorpius’ face and leant in and kissed his forehead. “Do you want anything?”

“Hung’y.”

“Food, course.” Harry looked up and ignoring the way Draco was glaring daggers at him, he asked Astoria, “Could you please get Poppy, I don’t know what he can eat right now.”

“Right, Draco. Let’s go.”

“Go?” He blinked in shock. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Astoria huffed and Harry turned back to Scorpius whispering, “I’m here,” into his ear. While Astoria pulled Draco from the room saying, “They need space.” The door clicked shut behind them but Harry still didn’t move, though he did pull back to look at Scorpius fully.

“Are you okay?”

Scorpius nodded, “Tir’d. Sore, hung’y.”

“Well, you won’t be able to eat much, chicken broth probably. I lived on that for a few days.” Harry chuckled.

“Bet’r than nothin’.”

Closing his eyes against the onslaught of guilt Harry nodded, “You’re right.” Despite Scorpius wanting, needing, to see him Harry couldn’t help but feel like there was a barrier between them, one that he had caused. Something must have shown on his face and Scorpius closed his eyes, as though he didn’t like what he saw there.

“Don’.”

“Don’t what?” Harry asked, worried by the sudden clarity in Scorpius’ eyes.

“Don’ go there now. Please. No’ now.” Scorpius’ right hand threaded through Harry’s hair, gripping softly at the strands and Harry knew exactly what he meant. He closed his eyes and nodded.

“All right,” Harry gasped, hoarsely.

The door opened and Harry didn’t move as Poppy and the Malfoys came up beside Scorpius’ bed. Scorpius kept his hand in Harry’s hair and Harry’s was still cupping his cheek, “Come on, you can have something to eat now.” Harry tried to prise Scorpius’ hand from his hair but he didn’t let go, “Scorpius, come on.” Harry pleaded. “Come on, let me go. I’ll stay right here, but you need to let go.”

In the background Harry heard Draco whisper, “What’s wrong with him? Why’s he holding Potter like that?”

Feeling desperate to get Scorpius to eat, Harry whimpered, “Scorp.”

The hand in his hair left immediately and Harry apologised. He had just gone back on his word, brought up what Scorpius had asked him not too, that last night at the Ministry.

Harry moved back and sat next to Scorpius on the bed while Poppy raised the upper half of the bed so Scorpius was sitting up. A house elf popped in with a bowl of broth and a spoon and Poppy gave the spoon to Scorpius but his hand and arm shook so much that the broth spilt before he could even get the spoon to his mouth.

Shoving it at Harry, Scorpius waited. It was a sign for Harry that things were forgiven and he filled the spoon and raised it to Scorpius’ mouth, feeding him.

***

Harry ran a hand through his hair and groaned. The case just didn’t make any sense, a string of robberies and a couple shoddy eyewitness accounts with no suspects and no evidence made for a terrible day at the office.

The bloody case had been going on for over a month and Harry and Scorpius were no closer to getting suspects than they had been on day one. It was ridiculous and frustrating and Harry wanted to punch something, preferably Scorpius and mess up his pretty face.

The same pretty face that haunted Harry’s dreams with red cheeks and pouty lips, Scorpius was driving Harry crazy. But Scorpius didn’t know why Harry was suddenly not speaking to him and barely looked at him during the day.

The past two weeks Harry had blown off their usual Friday night drinks with flimsy excuses and Scorpius hadn’t pushed the issue. Harry didn’t look up as a shadow crossed his desk, it was Scorpius. Nobody else would be in the DMLE at this hour on a Wednesday, it was stupidly late and Harry’s eyes were tired and the flickering of the candle flames didn’t help.

After all this time in the wizarding world Harry still didn’t understand how they hadn’t managed to create a spell, other than Lumos, which was useless when you needed your wand for other spells, that lit an entire room without flicking. Harry hated candles. They were the bane of his life.

“Careful.” Scorpius murmured as Harry dropped his head to the desk and sent a piece of parchment fluttering dangerously near to a candle. “Can’t burn evidence, Auror Potter.”

Harry didn’t even chuckle, or pretend to, and Scorpius put his hands on his hips, “All right. I give up. What is it?”

“Noth-“

“Bull shit.” Scorpius growled. “It’s more than nothing. You barely speak to me; you don’t even look at me. Is it, is it because of what you saw the other week?”

Clenching his teeth Harry wanted to scream ‘yes it is!’ but he knew Scorpius would take it the wrong way. Slowly he lifted his head and pulled off his glasses, cleaning them on his robes then placing them back on his face in an attempt to delay.

“Of course it isn’t.”

“Look I understand it must be hard for you, knowing I like men and seeing it for yourself, it would be a big shock. And you need to remember to knock, I mean, who barges into someone’s house without knocking.”

“You can’t knock on the floo Scorpius. Besides, who has _sex_ in the living room.”

Scorpius scoffed. “I wasn’t having sex. Jack and I were just kissing. I don’t see why it’s caused such a problem.”

“It hasn’t.” Harry said, though they both knew he was lying. He stood and attempted to leave the cubicle so he could get some tea but Scorpius stood in his way, blocking him in. “Leave it alone Scorpius.”

“Leave what alone? You just told me there was nothing wrong.”

“Well I lied.”

“At least you can admit that much,” Scorpius laid his hand on Harry’s shoulder pausing when Harry tensed. Hurt flashed across his face and he said, “You think I’m disgusting. You think what Jack and I were doing was wrong and you can’t look at me because of it. How could I have been so stupid?”

Harry moved back and sat on the edge of his desk, grabbing hold of Scorpius’ hand to keep him in the light. “No, that’s not it. I promise you, what you and Jack were doing… I don’t have a problem with that.”

“Then what is it!?” Scorpius’ voice had taken on a pleading tone, “You don’t have a problem with Jack then-“

“I didn’t say that.” Harry looked up and tugged Scorpius closer until he was standing in the vee between Harry’s legs. “I don’t have a problem with what you were doing, I _do_ have a problem with Jack.”  
“You don’t like Jack?” Scorpius frowned.

“I don’t dislike him.”

Pursing his lips Scorpius studied Harry’s face and then said, “Harry please stop talking in circles. You know I hate that.”

Taking a deep breath and remembering that he was a Gryffindor Harry surged upwards and knocked his forehead against Scorpius’ cheek. “Ow. What-?” Scorpius started to speak but Harry moved until his lips were muffling the noises coming from the blond.

Scorpius’ mouth was half open with speech and Harry felt that he was making a fool of himself so he pulled away a fraction, watched as Scorpius licked his lips and closed his mouth before Harry leant in and more gently pressed their lips together.

It was a chaste kiss made up of lots of little kisses, Harry suckled on one of Scorpius’ lips before moving to the other and back. Scorpius returned the favour and his hands slid up to Harry’s shoulders, long fingers brushing the skin on the back of his neck. Harry’s hands gripped Scorpius’ hips and he wrenched his mouth away to breathe, Scorpius trailed his lips down Harry’s neck and arched his hips forward.

“Scorp.” Harry said, “Ah, fuck. Scorp.”

Scorpius pulled away, “What did you call me?”

“Scorp?” Harry flushed, “Don’t you like it? I, I only call you that in my head, when I- you know,” Harry made a loose fist with his hand and pumped it in a crude imitation of masturbation.

“You think about me when you…”

“Uh, yes.” Harry flushed and became hyper aware of both the conversation and his body. His legs were spread wide to accommodate Scorpius’ body and his hard cock was pressing into the side of Scorpius’ thigh. “Fuck. _Fuck_.” Harry began to lose his nerve, and he pushed Scorpius away, grabbed his wand and ran.

He tripped over his feet in the dark and pushed the buttons for the lift quickly and forcefully, Harry heard Scorpius calling his name and saw a light approaching as Scorpius came after him, wand lit with a Lumos.

Harry flung himself into the lift and flopped against the back wall, panting harshly, the doors closed just as Scorpius reached them but not before Harry caught sight of his hurt expression. Maybe he’d made a mistake? Maybe Harry was wrong and Scorpius wasn’t disgusted with him wanking to thoughts of Scorpius? Maybe Scorpius would be receptive to the idea of going on a date?

When he stepped out of the lift in the Atrium Harry paused, waiting for Scorpius so they could talk about it together, rationally. Without Harry running away like a little girl. The second lift dinged and Scorpius rushed out, his wand still lit and it cast a harsh light over the two of them.

“You stayed.”

“I-“ Harry never got to finish because it all went to hell.

***

Poppy told Harry, with no uncertain terms, that he was not to leave the room he and Scorpius were in. The problem with that was, once Harry was well enough to move around and could do so without fatiguing, the room was too small. Too constricting, too much like his cupboard.

He needed to get out.

While Scorpius was sleeping he begged Poppy to let him take a walk by the lake, she could supervise him, or McGonagall. He just needed to get out, he’d been trapped inside one room being tortured every few hours for ten days and now he was trapped inside another room, for over a month.

The visitors had dwindled and the visits were shorter, people weren’t afraid to leave him alone anymore. Harry wished they didn’t, he needed to be distracted from the four walls and from Scorpius who was still sleeping more than he was awake. Though he didn’t slur his words anymore and Poppy assured him that it was a very good sign that his magic was replenishing. Even if it would take him at least another month before he could perform a low ability spell like Lumos or Alohamora and about six months before he could produce a Patronus.

Harry didn’t have the heart to tell Poppy that Scorpius had never been able to conjure a corporeal Patronus.

It was late at night, Harry could tell by the darkness of the sky and the brightness of the stars, the stillness of the grounds and the quietness of the castle. This was his Hogwarts.

The castle at night. Silent and waiting for him to find another room, or reacquaint himself with an old one, Harry knew that there were students in the castle but it was passed curfew and he shouldn’t encounter anyone so when he stepped into the Hospital Wing, he smiled.

Poppy’s office door was shut and there was no light filtering through from the crack underneath. He tiptoed across the floor and put the door, in the hallway the air was much colder and he took a deep breath relishing the sting in his lungs. Harry didn’t know where to go first, the Great Hall or the Room of Requirement, or maybe the kitchen.

Deciding to just walk and let his feet take him Harry started, his socked feet making next to no sound as he padded through the stone corridors. Breathing in the cold air and old magic, familiar magic that made his heart sing.  
He was home.

Harry wondered if he could live in the castle, if McGonagall would give him a job. Would he be able to leave the Ministry? Of course he would, Harry snorted softly to himself, the ministry was compromised now. Perhaps after him and Scorpius, if his partner were up to the job, finished the case and put the criminals into the system to be punished Harry could resign and take up a post at Hogwarts.

Defence Against the Dark Arts, or Charms, he was good at charms, Flying Instructor or, or as a last resort Hagrid’s assistant and take over Keeper of Keys position when the half-giant left. That reminded Harry, he hadn’t seen Hagrid at all, the man couldn’t fit into the tiny room that he and Scorpius were in but that didn’t matter. Harry could go and visit him.

With his thighs burning and calves aching Harry finished climbing the stairs and realised he was on the Astronomy Tower, he stood and looked up at the stars. He’d never felt at ease there before, but now he felt free and peaceful.

“I don’t know what to do,” he admitted out loud. “I really don’t.”

“Perhaps you should go back to the Hospital Wing before Poppy castrates you,” Harry whirled around to face a smirking McGonagall. He didn’t feel comfortable with her talking about his balls so he quickly grinned.

“Course, Headmistress.”

“Potter.”

“Ma’am?”

“Hogwarts will always be here to welcome you home. Should you need it.”

With a smile Harry nodded, the first rays of sunshine peaked out over the grey Scottish horizon, “I know.”

Trudging back to the Hospital Wing Harry had a lot of thinking to do, the walk back seemed much longer and harder to do than the walk there. Harry silently opened the doors and slipped inside, he checked to see that Poppy’s door was still closed, and when he entered his little room he came face to face with her.

“Ah, shit.”

“Indeed, Mister Potter.”

Harry winced knowing that he had pissed her off, rather sheepishly he moved around her to his bed, catching sight of Scorpius as he stared wide eyed at Harry. It was the same look he got when Harry broke the law to apprehend a suspect or gather evidence, though Scorpius always backed Harry up, saying “the lock was already broken, Auror Weasley.”  
“I don’t suppose telling you to stay put was ever going to work.”

“I’m sorry Poppy. I really am but I needed to get out. I was going mental,” Harry said earnestly and tried to bend his legs but they didn’t cooperate very well.

“Go and have a hot bath, Mister Potter otherwise the lactic acid build up in your legs will make them incredibly stiff.”

“Thank you,” Harry gingerly walked across to the other door in the room and entered the bathroom. He loved this bathroom, it was just as big as the prefects bath and he silently thanked Poppy again for filling it with steaming water.

Harry immersed himself and then swam to one side where he could sit on the small ledge and rest his, now weary, muscles. At least he wouldn’t go wondering off in the middle of the night for about a week or so now. He was too sore to move.

The bathroom door opened and Harry covered his genitals with his hands and looked up to see Scorpius’ face, eyes closed. “You can come in, and open your eyes before you fall in and drown.”

“You’d save me.” Scorpius said confidently, even as he came into the room, his eyes anywhere but on Harry. “I was wondering if you’d let me join you?”

“Sure, want me to close my eyes while you strip?”

Scorpius flushed, the pink colour travelling from his cheeks down his neck and under his pyjama collar. “I, I, I only meant, in the room. Not the bath.”

“Oh.” Harry rubbed a wet hand over his face, drew his knees up wondering why the patch of water he was in just got hotter. “Well, it’s certainly big enough if you do want to hop in. I promise I won’t look.”

With a smile Scorpius began to unbutton his top and Harry busied himself with wetting his hair, again. A splash indicated that Scorpius was in and Harry sat back up again.

They glanced at each other before Harry looked away, after staring at Scorpius’ chest for far too long. He had seen Scorpius’ bare chest before, when they’d both needed the healer or had a shower after a gruelling practice in the DMLE’s training rooms.

But there were new scars.

Unconsciously, Harry was swimming across the pool and when he reached Scorpius, Harry couldn’t help but reach out and press a finger to the small round scar on Scorpius’ shoulder. His other hand traced a jagged pink line that travelled all the way down Scorpius’ left side. “I’m so sorry. Oh, fuck, Scorpius. I’m so, so sorry.”

Harry felt ashamed by the hot tears that flooded down his cheeks, mixing with the bath water before Scorpius’ arms were around him and his hands stroking down Harry’s back. They were pressed together from chest to hips, it was like a reversal to their last night at the Ministry only the situation was so, _so_ different.

They stayed pressed together until Scorpius’ arms had become weak and just hung limply around Harry’s hips, and Harry’s tears had long since dried. “Don’t feel guilty Harry. We’re fine, I’m here. All right, I am here.”

“Yeah.” Harry pulled back and smiled tightly.

“That wasn’t very convincing.” Scorpius reached up and grabbed hold of Harry’s hair pulling him down so their foreheads were pressed together. “It is not your fault. I am an Auror, this is what I signed up for. Okay? I signed up for this, just as much as you, but I am glad that I had you there with me in that _place_. I felt safe with you. I _feel_ safe with you.” Scorpius smiled and breathed out, “I trust you.”

Harry didn’t know how to respond to that so he didn’t. He just kissed Scorpius’ forehead and drew himself away. “Harry!” Scorpius gasped and he reached out, his fingers trailing over the marks on Harry’s back. Thin white lines that would never heal anymore, Harry could still feel the bite of the whip and the smell the tang of his blood as he’d hung by his wrists in a bright room, blinded and bloodied.

“It’s fine.”

“Okay.” Scorpius said, knowing not to push. They got out of the bath and Harry dressed in clean clothes, Scorpius hadn’t brought any with him and wrapped a towel around his waist.

In their little room Harry was surprised and uncomfortable to see Draco and Astoria waiting there. He blushed and moved quickly away from the doorway and from Scorpius as he passed through the door.

“Mother, Father. I didn’t expect to see you today.”

“Apparently not.” Draco said scathingly and then as Scorpius came closer he grabbed his son, forcing his right arm above his head to look at his side. “Made your mark on my son too did you Potter?” Draco bit out. His hand unconsciously straying to touch his chest where Harry had once hit him with the Sectumsempra curse years before.

Furious at the implication that he would willingly hurt anyone, hurt Scorpius, Harry flung himself in Draco’s direction. Flying by Scorpius and knocking him slightly in his haste to get to Draco.

A fist caught him in the jaw and Harry lashed out punching Draco in the nose, relishing in the crunch and rush of blood as he broke it. His fist got slippery and he grabbed at Draco’s hair ready to punch him again when he got winded by Draco’s knee in his side.

“Umph.” Harry let out a huff of breath and drove his body weight forward forcing his opponent to the ground, they tangled together snarling and kicking and hurting until Harry was flung backwards. He was pressed to the wall farthest from Draco who was stuck to the opposite wall.

Snarling Harry fought against the magical binds and he only watched as Poppy tucked her wand away and lead Draco and Astoria out the room, “Let’s get you healed up” she said. “I’ll be back for you later.”

As soon as the door closed Harry was released and he toppled to the floor. Angry and frustrated and terrified at himself Harry began to pound the floor, soon his hand was covered in his blood and Draco’s.

“Please, _please_ , Harry. Stop!” Scorpius cried and begged, “You’re scaring me.” He shouted and it penetrated the haze around Harry’s mind and he fell forward onto his arms, sobbing.

“Oh Harry.” Scorpius crawled across the floor and draped himself along Harry’s back, whispering to him. “Let it out, Harry. That’s it, cry. There’s no shame, cry and let it go. Let the anger go.”

When Poppy came back into the room Harry and Scorpius were in the same position, vaguely Harry heard Scorpius say, “I don’t know what to do, Poppy. He’s not moved.”

“Scorpius, could you leave us alone for a minute.”

“Course.” He bent and pressed a gentle kiss to the back of Harry’s neck, “I’ll be back soon, Harry.”

“Harry. Harry I want you to look at me.” He responded to the stern tone and saw the pity and sympathy in Poppy’s face and it made him feel sick. He didn’t want pity, he didn’t need it. He needed to kill those sons of bitches who had whipped him and who had hurt Scorpius.

He raised a hand to wipe at his nose but it was covered in blood and smelling the metallic tang made him remember that room, and the woman saying, “Tell us Harry Potter. Let your words come, and the pain will stop.”

He never said a word to them.

Harry ducked his head and vomited over the stones. Poppy Vanished it almost immediately and the blood and she healed his hand with a whispered word, “I want you to speak to a Mind Healer Harry.” Poppy smoothed a hand over his hair, “Someone who can help.”

Desperately, Harry nodded.

“And, I don’t think you should be around Scorpius for a while. You need to heal, and so does he.” Poppy drew him close and held him, “I don’t think you can do that while you see him healing.”

Harry gasped out, “Yes. _Yes._ ”

***

It wasn’t difficult being back. The statue was still gold and shining, the water still flowed and as Harry approached Eric Munch, the wizard who registered the wands, Harry tossed a couple of galleons into the water.

“Morning Eric,” Harry greeted.

“Auror Potter.” Eric took Harry’s wand and weighed it and registered it then handed it back. “Good to see you back.”

With a tight smile Harry nodded and then left, he took the lift up to level two. Pausing before the Auror Headquarters to take a deep breath, he stalked all the way passed the cubicles nodding to the Aurors who caught his eye and Harry barged straight into Ron’s office, slamming the door behind him and sinking into the nearest seat.

He looked up and saw Ron staring at him with his eyebrows raised, “Seriously, mate?”

“Oh fuck off.”

Ron let out a hearty laugh and said “Mum wants you at dinner on Sunday. I told her you’d probably just want to relax and have a beer but she insisted that could be done at the Burrow.”

“Course it can.”

Harry fidgeted under Ron’s concerned gaze, “I’m fine Ron. Really.”

“Sure you can do this?”

“I have to.”

Ron’s ginger hair flopped about as he vigorously shook his head, “No you don’t. The testimony from myself, Kingsley and Parkinson is enough. You don’t need to say a word.”

“And I’m not going to. But I need to see this come to an end. I _need_ to see them put away.”

“If it gets too much, you get out. I don’t want to see you like that again,” Ron’s voice got tight with emotion and Harry immediately felt guilty. He took a deep breath, counted to ten and let the guilt go with his exhale. It was not his fault; it was a by-product of what had happened to him.  
“You won’t, Ron. I promise.”

Standing, Ron came round and pulled Harry into a hug, they gripped at each other’s backs and Ron whispered fiercely “Good to have you back, mate.”

Patting Ron on the back a couple more times Harry agreed, “It’s good to be back.”

They made their way out of Ron’s office and through the Auror Headquarters, maroon robes pristine. Ron’s ‘H.A.’ insignia stood out in gold above the Aurors’ logo and people stayed away from them as they moved through the Ministry.

The power exuded from them, they were Harry Potter and Ron Weasley two war heroes, two of the best wizards and two of the best Aurors alive. Harry raised his chin and embraced that persona, he _was_ Harry Potter and he wasn’t here today by hiding and running. He survived, and he kept surviving.

In the bowels of the Ministry Harry and Ron stood outside one of the courtrooms, waiting for the Wizengamot to assemble and allow them inside. Footsteps sounded and Harry turned, breath catching in his chest.

Scorpius.

Six months had been a long time for Harry not to have any contact with Scorpius but now, seeing him here in his Auror robes Harry wanted to run to him, gather Scorpius up in his arms and never let go. Taking a faltering step forward Harry ran his eyes over Scorpius’ form, there was a bandage around his left hand from where it peaked out under his sleeve. But he held his wand in his right hand; Scorpius’ expression was what made Harry stop.

He looked apprehensive. As though he didn’t know what Harry was going to do, Harry didn’t blame him. The last time they had seen each other Harry had attacked Scorpius’ father and then beaten the floor until it was slick with his blood.

The door to the courtroom clicked open and Harry didn’t have to say anything. The three of them made their way into the room and Harry clenched his teeth, he would get through this.

The Wizengamot was fully, Harry caught Kingsley’s eye and nodded once to assure the man that he was all right in being there.

The gallery was closed to the public but, as always, family and friends could sit and show their support for the victims or the criminal. The Weasleys were all there, so was Hermione and she smiled brightly at Harry when she caught him looking.

Next to the sea of red heads were the Malfoys. All four of them, Draco and Astoria but also Lucius and Narcissa, Harry quickly looked away before any of them noticed, beside them were Parkinson and her husband Zabini.

A side door opened and Harry tensed. This was it. He would get a view of his captors and torturers for the first time. He was grateful for the strong body of Ron on his right and for Scorpius on his left.

Scorpius’ hand was on his and Harry gripped it tightly, his partner was just as nervous about this trial as he was. They would get through the trial together, just as they got through those ten days.

The pair was not what Harry expected. They looked like any other person; if he’d passed them on the street he wouldn’t have remembered their faces.

Non-descript.

Brown hair and brown eyes, there were no distinguishing features like scars or moles on either. The woman didn’t even have her ear pierced; the man had no facial hair. Harry sat in shock, he couldn’t hear anything over the rushing in his ears- these two were the most unlikely kidnappers that he had ever seen.

They looked normal. There was no hint of evil in their faces; these people weren’t monsters, not like Voldemort. They were just the worst possible kind of human being, but, they _were_ human.

Harry had a hard time believing that Ron and the Aurors had caught the right people. Up until the woman spoke. Her voice sent shivers down his spine and he gripped Scorpius’ hand tighter, it was the same woman.

He wanted out, Harry didn’t want to sit there and listen to them deny what they had done. He didn’t want anything but when she looked over at him and smirked he wasn’t going to give the woman the satisfaction of knowing that she still got to him.

“You okay?”

Turning to look at Scorpius, Harry smiled. “Yeah. You?”

“Yes.” Scorpius said quietly, blinking slowly.

Harry resumed watching the trial, he was glad Scorpius was dealing with everything, better than Harry was too, and Harry forced himself to pay attention.

The woman worked in the Department of Mysteries, she was the Unspeakable. The man was her half-brother and he had tried to become an Auror four times, failing each and every time. Perhaps on purpose so he could get down the moves an Auror would use to defend themselves against a physical attack and then he would know how to combat them.

At twelve noon Kingsley called for a halt in the proceedings. They would take a break and reconvene in two hours, people needed to eat and the Wizengamot needed to decide on punishment.

After the Wizengamot had filed out and the Aurors had taken the prisoners back to the holding cells Harry and Scorpius stood, their hands falling away from each other’s. Ron led the way out and in the corridor Harry found himself surrounded by Weasleys and being suffocated by Hermione’s hair in his mouth as she hugged him tightly.

Looking over her shoulder Harry watched as Scorpius stood near his family, his mother resting her hand on his shoulder. The only sign of affection between them all. It was such a stark contrast between the Malfoys and Harry and the Weasleys.

Lunch was a large affair. Molly had cooked and brought the food along in shrunken picnic baskets, she refused to eat from the Ministry or one of the surrounding cafes. They squished themselves into Ron’s office, perching on various surfaces and Harry sat on the floor in the corner watching them all.

He felt like he was home.

“Budge up a bit will you Harry, dear.” Molly asked and Harry scrambled to move so she had enough room to sit down.

Molly didn’t say anything. She didn’t have to, her silent support was enough and Harry rested his head on her shoulder, craned his neck to press a kiss to her cheek. “Thanks Molly.”

“I’d do the same for any of my other children. You know that.”

“Yes, I do.”

She patted his knee and Harry smiled, closing his eyes and breathing in her scent. It was comforting and it was something he needed. An hour and half later, Harry had had a quiet moment with everyone in that tiny, busy room. It wasn’t until Rose had hugged him and patted his cheek like she used to do when she was a baby that Harry noticed the time.

They needed to get back. He didn’t want to go but he had to, it was his duty and he needed closure.

The mood became sombre as they piled out of the office ignoring the curious looks they got from the Aurors. Harry and Ron were leading the way down again but Hermione slipped between them, holding both of their hands.

The Malfoys were already waiting and the door opened just as Harry, Ron and Hermione arrived. Disentangling his fingers from Hermione’s Harry moved forward and held out his hand to Scorpius. “Shall we get this over with?”

“Merlin, yes.” He let out a breathy little laugh and Harry smiled in response. Scorpius took his hand they made their way back to their seats, Ron soon joining them.

Harry concentrated on the heat coming from Scorpius’ palm and the way his hand felt as though it belonged in Harry’s, Scorpius’ fingers slotted easily between Harry’s.  
It was over rather quickly. In the grand scheme of trials, this wasn’t really one. It was more of a sentencing and Harry couldn’t remember much of it, though it didn’t matter he didn’t want to.

He did know that they both received life imprisonment in Azkaban. It was longer than the normal sentence for kidnapping and torture by about fifty years, but when you choose a close friend of both the Minister for Magic and Head Auror and in turn piss them both off you get more than your fair share of prison time.

As the man and woman were taken away the Weasleys erupted into cheers, the Malfoys looking shocked at the ruckus display, but Harry didn’t care. He grinned and turned to Scorpius, who rested his forehead against Harry’s “We’re safe now. You’re safe.” He whispered quickly and pulled away before Harry had a chance to respond.

They all waited until the Wizengamot had passed by, Kingsley last and Harry shook his hand, and agreed to a drink with him at the Leaky Cauldron later in the week.

Harry, Ron and Scorpius made their way to the corridor where, again, their families were waiting. “Well how about a celebratory dinner?” Molly asked the group, “You’d be most welcome,” she hurried to say to the Malfoys as they edged away. “After all your son was caught up in this horrible mess too.”

“Thank you, Missus Weasley,” Scorpius began but he cast an eye over the group, lingering on one person before saying “But I don’t think –“

“Nonsense Scorpius.” Narcissa said and everyone stared at her in surprise. “We’d be honoured.”

Harry stepped close to Scorpius and said lowly to him “He won’t say a word, Scorpius. I won’t let him.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

They smiled at each other before turning to their families who were trying to decide where to go for dinner to celebrate the imprisonment of the two monsters that had hurt their sons, and grandson. “Fancy getting out of here and –“

“You will do no such Harry Potter.” Molly turned and glared him. “Now, where do you two want to go?”

“Scorpius?” Harry asked, not liking the way he looked terrified.

“That, um.” Scorpius started and fled back into the courtroom. Draco started to go after him but because Harry was closer he got there first, shutting the door firmly behind him.

“Scorpius?” Harry asked when he caught sight of him sitting in the same seat he had been all day. “What’s wrong? Is it Hugo? I told you, I won’t let him hurt you. I won’t let him say anything at all to you.”

“No. It’s not Hugo. Not really.”

Harry moved and leant on the wooden railing before the seats, staring at Scorpius. “Then what?”

“What happens now, Harry?”

“How do you mean?” Harry frowned.

“Well, do we go back to being Auror partners? Are you still going to be an Auror? And I don’t know what’s going on anymore, six months, Harry. Six fucking months and not a word, not even a fucking letter to let me know how you were doing.”

“I couldn’t do that Scorp. I couldn’t, because every time I saw you I felt guilty. I felt like it was my fault. I had a shit load of things I had to deal with, things from childhood that apparently made my time _there_ feel worse.” Harry reached out and rested a gentle hand on Scorpius left forearm, “I kept telling myself that it was my fault. I kept thinking that if I hadn’t kissed, hadn’t run away; fuck if I hadn’t stayed that night trying to avoid you. If I hadn’t spent the few weeks beforehand trying to avoid you that none of this would have happened.

“But it did. And it wasn’t my fault. I know that now, and I can look at you now without feeling guilty.” Harry took a deep breath and met Scorpius’ eyes, “I had another issue to work out as well.”

“What’s that?” Scorpius breathed.

“You. My attraction to you,” Harry removed his hand and licked his lips, “I fell in love with you a long time ago. I just never realised it, I never accepted it because you are a man.” Shaking his head Harry said, “I’m not explaining this very well.

“My Uncle Vernon always told me I was a freak. And he’d go on these rants about other freaks, _faggoty freaks_ and I was terrified to be one of them. I could ignore it, I could date women, fuck women but it was never satisfying and then I met you. And I hated you, because you were comfortable in yourself in a way I had never been. I-” Harry was cut off by a pair of lips on his.

He sighed into the kiss and reached up to cradle Scorpius’ head in his hands as their lips came together again and again. When Scorpius’ tongue touched Harry’s lips, he opened his mouth and welcomed Scorpius inside.

Harry pulled away and smiled. “Come on. We should get outside before they think I’ve murdered you. We can finish this later tonight.”

“Promise?”

With a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth Harry leaned in and gave Scorpius one more kiss. “Promise.”

***

Later that night for Harry and Scorpius turned out not to happen. They had dinner with the combined bunch of Weasleys and Malfoys and Zabinis, though Harry had always and would always think of her as Parkinson, regardless of who she married.

Harry had made sure that he stayed close to Scorpius but he didn’t have to worry about Hugo, he stayed away from Harry and Scorpius most of the evening. Once Harry had gotten up to get some air, Scorpius had wanted to go with him but Harry assured him he was fine and to stay put.

Hermione, though, had followed him out onto the small balcony that overlooked Diagon Alley and London as a whole. Harry watched the lights of a plane as it flew into the darkness of the night sky. He jumped slightly when Hermione’s hand settled in the crook of his arm, “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, why?”

“You looked like you couldn’t get out of there fast enough.”

“Well, it’s uncomfortable having two Malfoys glare at me while I try and eat my dinner. Bloody blonds.”

She laughed softly, “You don’t mean that.”

“Course I do.” Harry grinned and wrapped an arm around her as she shivered in the cool night air. “Do you sometimes wonder how you got to where you are in life?”

“Profound question Harry.” He glanced down at her. She was looking up at him, her brown eyes carefully studying his face.

“I don’t mean- it’s got nothing to do with the trial. It really doesn’t, it’s more to do with… Well, it’s-“

“Scorpius, right?”

“Yeah.” He sighed, shoulders slumping a little. “I mean, how did I get so far in life without knowing I find men attractive? How did I miss that?”

“I don’t think you did. Subconsciously, anyway, you have never had a relationship with a woman for longer than a week. In fact you’ve never had a relationship, you just had sex and then got bored and moved on. Claiming it didn’t work out because of work load or work hours, or she just wasn’t that nice really or I didn’t like her sober. There was always something wrong with _her_ , whoever she was.”

“You’re right. But why Scorpius?”

Hermione wrapped her arms around his waist and tucked her head up underneath his chin, “I think that’s obvious.”

“Yeah. It kind of is.”

“You’re not trying to steal my wife now are you?” Ron’s voice came from behind and Harry turned around dragging Hermione with him.

“I contemplated it, but I don’t think she’s my type. Hair’s the wrong colour,” Harry winked down at Hermione who giggled and slapped him lightly on the chest.

“Good. I was beginning to think you two had decided to run away and have mad passionate sex on the balcony.”

“Oh no, Ron, it’s too cold to have sex.” Harry grinned, “We were going to elope instead.”

Ron charged forward and pulled Hermione from Harry’s arms, “You bigamist woman you!” He joked, “You only want another wedding.”

“Alas, I cannot deny that.”

“Can’t wear a white dress this time,” Ron leered.

Harry coughed, “Shouldn’t have worn one last time, either.”

Hermione stared between the two of them. “You two have more secrets from me than I like.”

“What do you mean by that?” Harry asked, leaning against the balcony rail.

“Well, I didn’t know about what the Locket had said to Ron before he stabbed it, or that he’d tried to run on our wedding day and now he told you when we first had sex.”

Harry vaguely remembered Ron telling him those things when he’d had one of his panic attacks after being rescued. He had forgotten Hermione was in the room, “There were extenuating circumstances in all cases.”

Folding her arms across her chest Hermione raised an eyebrow, “Oh really.”

“The war. For the first, obviously. And, and your dad,” Ron said, cowering slightly. Looking nothing like the powerful Head Auror as he had done that morning, “And, well it was terrible. I needed someone to tell me how to do it right.”

“And it had to be my best friend, too?”

“In all honesty, I was too busy laughing to help.” Harry said over Ron’s indignant, “Would you have preferred it to be George?”

“And what about my dad?”

Harry couldn’t hold back his laughter and Ron’s face went a very dark purple, “When Ron asked for your hand in marriage. Your dad told him if he ever hurt you, that he’d show Ron what a dentist was really capable of, wizard or not. Ron’s wand was no match for his drill.” Harry was laughing so hard by now that he’d barely got the words out and Hermione’s face was full of disbelief.

She glanced over at Ron who was biting his lip and fiddling with the cuffs of his robes, “Bloody hell, it’s true?”

“Yes.” Ron answered in a small voice.

Hermione started to laugh too and Ron got fed up and went back inside. Wiping his eyes, Harry said “Thanks Hermione. I needed that.”

“Me too.”

They went back inside and Harry paused slightly when he saw Scorpius sitting upright in his seat and Hugo kneeling down next to it, leaving Harry’s seat open. He slid into it and put a hand on Scorpius’ thigh, “Everything all right here?”

Hugo looked at his hand and then at Scorpius, “Everything is fine Uncle Harry. Welcome home,” he said before leaving.

“He apologised.” Scorpius said, looking slightly in shock. “He actually apologised for making my life terrible.”

“Did he really?” Harry raised his eyebrows.

“Yes. Said that he was wrong, and if I was going to become part of the family that we should be civil to each other. That I don’t have to be afraid of him anymore.”

“Good.”

“It’s about ten years too late, but at least it’s something.”

“Precisely.” Harry agreed, he quickly glanced around the table and saw that everyone had finished eating and were sipping their drinks, some wine and others coffee, “Want to get out of here?”

“Fuck, I thought you’d never ask. I’ve been half hard since that kiss,” Scorpius moaned and Harry’s hand slid up his thigh so his fingers could settle on Scorpius’ cock, he pressed down lightly and leant in to run his nose up the length of Scorpius’ neck, breathing him in.

“I’d thank you to stop from molesting my son, Potter.” Draco’s voice cut through the lusty haze that had taken over Harry’s brain, and he jerked back his hand falling away from Scorpius’ lap.

Scorpius’ cheeks were pink, whether from arousal or embarrassment Harry wasn’t sure but he knew his own cheeks were burning with shame at getting caught.

“Scorpius. Let’s go,” Draco said. Standing and gathering up his cloak, he turned his parents and raised his eyebrows, “Molly.” Draco began, “Thank you for such a wonderful idea and I appreciate you and your family including myself and mine.”

“Oh dear, it was a delight.” Molly stood and rushed around the table gathering Draco up into a hug. “We must do this again sometime,” with a sly look in Harry and Scorpius’ direction she added, “I think we just might be seeing more of each other.”

“Not if I don’t get laid soon,” Scorpius muttered.

Harry let out a low chuckle, “Think of it as foreplay. Really long, fucking tedious foreplay, then think of the climax and how glorious it will be.”

“Not if I die of blue balls first.”

Letting out a loud bark of laughter that had the tables’ occupants staring at them, Harry turned to Scorpius. “Go out with me.”

“What?”

“Go out with me, on a date, this Friday. Dinner and a stroll in the park, or whatever.”

Scorpius stared at Harry incredulously, “You’re serious.”

“Yes. So will you?”

Nodding shallowly Scorpius said, “Yes, I will.”

“Good.” Harry couldn’t stop grinning.

“Scorpius.” Draco said sharply, and with an apologetic grin Scorpius stood and left the restaurant with his parents, grandparents and the Zabinis, looking at Harry over his shoulder once.

“So,” George started a wild grin on his face.

“Fuck off.” Harry growled.

The Weasleys all laughed, except for Molly who had a severe look of disapproval on her face at Harry’s language. “Sorry Molly,” he apologised, “Why don’t we take this elsewhere and let these poor people get their restaurant back?”

“Why not? Tea and cakes at the Burrow, if you want, of course.” Molly stood and Arthur moved to pay, only to come back quickly.

“The Malfoys settled the bill.” Arthur pushed his glasses up his nose and said nothing more, it looked as though he didn’t know what to say.

“Well, what lovely people.” Molly gushed and everybody gathered up their outer robes and bags and headed for the door. They congregated outside while those that weren’t going to the Burrow for tea said their goodbyes and left, Harry Ron, Hermione, Hugo, Molly and Arthur apparated away to the Burrow.

When they arrived Hugo held Harry back and they stayed outside while everyone else went in. “I’m sorry, for that day in the Leaky. I was out of line then.” He sheepishly ran a hand through his hair, ears going pink like his dad’s, “I was out of line all through Hogwarts, especially to Scorpius.”

“He told me you apologised.”

Hugo nodded, “I can’t change what I did to him in the past, and to you, but I can try and do better in the future.”

“You’re already doing better, Hugo. Come here,” Harry pulled his embarrassed nephew into a tight, brief hug. “Let’s get inside before I freeze my fucking balls off.”

“Yeah, you’re gonna need those for Scorpius.”

Harry gave Hugo a light shrug and they made their way into the warmth of the Burrow, Harry was eagerly anticipating one of Molly cakes and a cup of tea. He needed advice on where to take Scorpius as well, he wasn’t very good at choosing appropriate restaurants.

***

By the time Friday came Harry had changed his mind between taking Scorpius out or staying and cooking for him. He figured staying in would mean that they could, would, probably skip the meal and spend the time in bed, eating later on after utilising heating charms.

But Scorpius deserved better than that. Harry would take him out to a nice, posh, muggle restaurant where he could wear a suit and see Scorpius in one again. Then he would walk Scorpius home and kiss him goodnight, no, he’d invite Scorpius back to his for a nightcap and kiss him slowly.

Running a frustrated hand through his hair Harry stepped into the shower, he needed to stop thinking so much. Scorpius was his friend, first and foremost, they had already established that they were attracted to each other and their kisses were electric but that didn’t mean anything about how they would be together as a couple, or in bed.

Harry had never had sex with a man before, he knew the basics of what went where but it also terrified him. He knew he loved Scorpius, but what if he was terrible at sex, would Scorpius want to live a sex free life with Harry? Could Harry live a sex free life?

Letting out an annoyed yell Harry submerged his face under the shower head and opened his mouth, he filled it with water and then spat it out. Singing one of Molly’s favourite Celestina Warbeck songs Harry washed his hair and his body. Twice.

He dried off quickly and cast a drying charm at his hair before pulling on a pale blue shirt and a pair of black slacks. He looked in the mirror and immediately pulled off the shirt, he found his favourite red one and pulled that on. Only to tear it off again, he finally settled on a black shirt and he added a plain red silk tie.

Adjusting his glasses Harry grabbed his wand and tucked it up his sleeve, into his wrist holster. Nodding to himself in the mirror, which wolf whistled at him, Harry grabbed his muggle wallet and walked out the door.

He ran back in a minute later to tug on some socks and shoes before smoothing his hair and muttering, “Smooth, Potter. Real smooth.” He let out a quick huff of air and left his flat, he apparated to Scorpius’ flat and knocked on the door.

“Harry?” Scorpius sounded confused when he answered the door, he was wearing a dark blue dressing gown and Harry couldn’t stop staring at the pale skin in the hollow of his neck. “What are you doing here?”

“Uh.” Harry dragged his eyes up to meet Scorpius’ amused ones, “It’s Friday. We’re going out for dinner.”

“Yes, but not until seven. It’s only six-fifteen.”

“No it’s not.” Harry said seriously, while simultaneously wishing that the ground would swallow him whole.

“It is; I’m sorry I’m not ready.” Scorpius held the door open and Harry stepped through, “I’ll just go and get changed.”

“Right.”

Scorpius spun around and reached up and kissed Harry thoroughly, “I love that you’re so eager.”

Harry had the presence of mind to smile dopily and let Scorpius go back into the bathroom, he pretended that he heard a locking charm so he wouldn’t go barging in and tackling Scorpius into the shower and fucking him slowly against the wall.

Shaking his head Harry forced those thoughts from his mind. He needed to keep a level head, Harry had allowed himself to only have one pint tonight for liquid courage. A couple of minutes later Scorpius came out of the bathroom fully dressed, “You look beautiful.” Harry said and then immediately closed his eyes and sighed, Scorpius wasn’t a girl. He should have said handsome.

“Thank you.”

Scorpius was smiling softly at him and Harry held out his hand, “Shall we go now? We could take a bit of a stroll before dinner.”

“That sounds lovely, Harry.” Scorpius came closer and took hold of Harry, who apparated them away, not missing Scorpius’ whispered “Stop thinking so hard.”

When they landed Scorpius looked around the street, “Where are we?”

“Lake District. There’s a lovely little restaurant just down the way.”

“It’s in the middle of nowhere,” Scorpius sounded amazed.

“It’s run by two witches, lovely ladies. Sisters, I went to school with them both. The Patil twins, Padma and Parvati.”

Harry led them through the countryside, enjoying the time he was spending with Scorpius. Even though they were both quiet it was peaceful, “I think I’d like to live out here someday.” Harry admitted.

“Me too, it’s so peaceful and the stars, Harry. Look at how bright they are.” Scorpius smiled serenely and Harry wanted to kiss him. So he did, he bent his head and tucked his mouth right next to Scorpius’, pressing his lips along Scorpius’ cheek and around to his ear, nibbling the lobe and pulling away to press against his mouth.

Moaning Scorpius asked, “Can we skip dinner?”

“No.” Harry muttered against his lips before wrenching himself away.

“Why not?” Scorpius sounded slightly offended and Harry turned to face him front on.

“Because you deserve more than sex.”

“I don’t understand.” Frowning Scorpius said, “I want the sex, I’m offering the sex willingly. Don’t you want it, now?”

“No! I mean yes, I want the sex. But no, not now.” Harry shook his head, “I want to prove to you that I mean to give you more than sex. That I can be a good boyfriend for you, the _best_ because that is what you deserve. Can you let me do this? And when I invite you back to my flat for coffee afterwards, can you pretend that I actually mean coffee, even though I am actually angling for sex.”

With a gentle laugh Scorpius agreed, “I don’t put out on the first date Harry. So when you say coffee, I expect coffee.” He winked at Harry when Harry frowned, Scorpius walked off down the lane leaving Harry confused and unsure if he’d just been played or not.

Harry caught up with Scorpius and they walked hand in hand the rest of the way to the restaurant. It was a quaint little place, though the inside was much larger than the outside suggested, it was fit for both muggles and wizarding folk.  
The lighting was dim and Scorpius was looking around in amazement when Harry greeted the hostess with a kiss on her cheek, “Padma, it’s good to see you.”

“You as well, when I got your message I wasn’t sure if you were actually going to show up or not.”

“Well, I’m here.”

She smiled beautifully at him and Harry tugged on Scorpius’ hand, Padma’s eye slid to the blond and she said enthusiastically, “Hello, welcome to Lavender’s. Follow me and I’ll show you to your table.”

They followed her to a small table near the fireplace and she left them with a promise to be back to get their drink orders soon. Scorpius leant across the table, “I thought their names were Padma and Parvati.”

“They are.”

“So why is it called Lavender’s?”

Harry sighed, it was times like this that Harry thought Scorpius was too young for him. He hadn’t been through a war, but as Harry glanced at his bandaged left hand he knew that Scorpius had had his fair share of tribulations.

“Lavender was Parvati's best friend at Hogwarts. We were all in Gryffindor together, Padma was in Ravenclaw, during the Battle of Hogwarts Lavender was attacked, mutilated really, by Fenrir Greyback. She died sometime between midnight and one in the morning.”

“I’m sorry.”

Shrugging Harry said, “Not your fault. Not mine either.”

Scorpius reached across the table to take hold of Harry’s hand, he squeezed it gently before lifting it and forcing Harry to lean on the table while Scorpius pressed a kiss to Harry’s hand.

“Ahem,” Padma coughed politely. “May I take your drinks order now?”

“A pint and a glass of sauvignon blanc, please.” Harry responded, not taking his eyes off Scorpius.

Padma faded away and came back just as quietly sliding their drinks on the table and leaving behind a menu for each of them as well.

“I like how well you know me that you can order my drink for me. I like you taking charge.”

With a snort Harry said, “You always did.”

He was referring to their missions and work together as Aurors but when Scorpius smiled slowly “And I look forward to you doing so in _other_ situations.”

Harry froze, “You might have to take the lead.”

“Not the whole time.”

“Fuck, Scorpius.” Harry breathed out.

“That’s the plan.”  
  
Harry pulled his hand back and looked down at his menu for something to do, he flushed as Scorpius chuckled. His eyes were barely reading the words but Harry saw lamb, mashed potatoes and that was enough, so when Padma came back to take their order he was able to say “I’ll have the lamb please.”

“Good choice Harry. And you, sir?”

“I’ll have the same, I think.”

“Very well, your meals will be out shortly.” Harry watched her walk away, to keep himself from staring at Scorpius. When she had disappeared into the kitchens Harry grabbed his pint and took a long drink.

“She’s very pretty.” Scorpius’ tone was neutral and warning bells went off in Harry’s head. This was a side of Scorpius he was wary of, when something happened and Scorpius was upset about it, everything shut down. The emotion in his voice was gone, his face was devoid of any expression and Harry wasn’t sure what he’d done wrong.

“She is. She’s also very married.”

“Hasn’t stopped you before.”

Harry blinked. “You’re jealous.”

“You watched her walk away. You used to do that when we went for our Friday drinks before that thing with Tommy.”

“Jack.” Harry corrected absently.

“What?”

“It was Jack, not Tommy. Who is Tommy by the way?”

Scorpius turned away staring into the fire, a muscle in his jaw jumping. Harry watched him closely before saying, “Perhaps this is not the time for this conversation.”

“No I think we need to have this, otherwise I’m always going to wonder,” Scorpius said firmly.  
“Wonder what?”

“If you’re going to leave for a woman.”

Nostrils flaring with barely controlled anger Harry lowered his voice, bending forward showing Scorpius how serious he was. “You know me Scorpius. You know I may have been a one off for a married woman here or there but _I_ have never cheated on my partner and I never would. I watched Padma because it seemed the more polite option.”

“Polite?”

“ _More_ polite than staring at you all night.”

Instantly Scorpius’ face softened and he looked regretful, “Oh Harry. If you want to stare at me all night I’d really quite prefer it.”

“It won’t bother you.”

“No. You looking at someone else does.”

Sitting back in his seat Harry nodded and took another sip of beer, “All right. Your turn. Who’s Tommy?”

“My boyfriend. Ex-boyfriend,” Scorpius hurried to add when Harry’s eyebrows felt as though they were trying to jump off his forehead. “I was dating him before that thing with Jack, he’d broken up with me because I-” he flushed prettily and lowered his voice, “I called someone else’s name during sex. Tommy left and never came back; it hadn’t been a long relationship. About a month, I’d gone out to a club that night, brought Jack back for some fun. You barged in before it went any further. And, after you left it didn’t go any further either. In case you were wondering.”

“I wasn’t.” Harry quickly lied.

Scorpius smiled and Harry knew the conversation was put to bed. They turned the conversation to lighter subjects, mostly the way Lucius’ skin had become redder and redder the more time he spent with George.

Harry reckoned it was because when nobody was paying attention George would tell Lucius a dirty joke, and the staid Malfoy patriarch couldn’t cope with talk of cock at the dinner table.

Upon hearing Harry say the word ‘cock’ Scorpius choked on his wine and Harry grinned while Scorpius patted his mouth with the napkin. Padma brought out their dinners then and she smiled at them both, “Would you like anything else?”

“That’s enough for now, thanks, Padma.”

“Anytime, Harry.” She smiled and walked away, Harry turned to his meal. It smelt delicious and he inhaled deeply, pretending he didn’t see the pleased way Scorpius was looking at him.

Conversation fell by the wayside as they ate, but Harry was completely aware of Scorpius. The way his foot wrapped itself around his ankle, the way Scorpius’ hair gleamed in the fire light and the way he delicately ate.

Harry had never thought watching someone eat could be so sexy but seeing the way Scorpius would slowly draw the fork from his mouth, licking off a little bit of gravy, made Harry harder than he wanted to be in a public place.

He dropped the napkin on his lap and shuffled his chair forward so the table covered his lap. Scorpius’ laugh was barely muffled and he couldn’t hide the amusement in his voice when he said “Eat, Harry or you dinner will go cold.”

Dropping his eyes Harry refused to look at Scorpius until he’d eaten a decent amount. He hardly tasted the food and knew it would be nice; Lavender’s was renowned for its excellent cuisine.

Pushing his plate away when Scorpius did, Harry eyed his dinner companion. “Would you like dessert?”

“I don’t think so, no.”

Harry smiled, they were hurtling towards the tail end of the evening where they’d either crash and burn or hurtle into the stars. “Perhaps we should call it an evening then. Unless you’d like to come back to mine for coffee.”

“ _Coffee_ would be excellent.”

Scanning the restaurant Harry caught Padma’s eye, she collected their plates and Harry stood. He pulled out Scorpius’ chair for him, before they moved to the front of the restaurant and Harry paid.

Scorpius stood back a little bit and Padma leaned in, “Seamus was going to pop out and say hello, but he reckoned you were a bit preoccupied.”

“Just a bit.” Harry agreed, “Tell him I’ll come and see him another time.”

“You better.”

With a grin, Harry said goodbye and took Scorpius’ hand, they walked down the lane a bit and Harry asked, “Are you sure you want coffee?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.” Harry apparated them into his living and Scorpius stepped away pulling off his jacket. “Uh.”

Scorpius said nothing so Harry shook his head and made his way to the kitchen. “Where are you going?”

“To get coffee.”  
  
“I thought coffee was a euphemism for sex.”

“I thought so too.” Harry admitted, laughing sheepishly.

Stepping closer Harry took hold of Scorpius’ face in both his palms, just breathing him in, taking in how beautiful he was. “Fuck, you are something else, Scorp. So beautiful.”

Again Scorpius didn’t say anything, he stretched his neck so he could kiss Harry. It started off soft and chaste, just their lips pressing together, and then Scorpius moved. His body brushed Harry’s and he felt the hardness of Scorpius’ cock against his thigh, immediately Harry deepened the kiss, licking inside Scorpius’ mouth and trailing over his teeth, and the roof of his mouth. His tongue tangled with Scorpius’ before he drew Scorpius’ tongue into his own mouth where the blond could explore just as thoroughly.

Scorpius arched up against Harry, pressing their bodies together from chest to hips, Harry’s thighs bracketing Scorpius’ as they stood together. He pulled away, reluctantly, as Scorpius kept pulling him back for more kisses.

“No, Scorp. Not here,” Harry stepped back but took Scorpius’ hand and pulled him down the hallway to Harry’s bedroom. He’d changed the sheets earlier that day, hoping for this to happen. The lamp on the bedside table lit gently with a flick of his wand and in the dim light Harry faced Scorpius, kissing him again.

He gasped in surprise when Scorpius’ mouth trailed down his neck, his deft fingers unbuttoned Harry’s shirt and he pressed kisses as Harry’s chest was exposed. Scorpius pulled off Harry’s tie and then shoved his shirt down his shoulders and Harry helped it fall to the floor.

Scorpius’ fingers twined in Harry’s chest hair, and he bent his head drawing one of Harry’s nipples into his mouth. Letting out a groan Harry pushed Scorpius’ head away and grabbed his shirt at the collar and ripped it away. As soon as Scorpius was bared to him Harry shoved him on the bed.

Scrambling Scorpius moved so he was lying in the middle, Harry kicked off his shoes and then undid Scorpius’ laces and pulled his shoes, then socks off and tossed them over the edge of the bed.

Crawling up Scorpius’ body Harry paused to draw his nose up the hard line of Scorpius’ cock though his trousers, then he pressed a suckling kiss to his belly button flicking his tongue out and relishing in the guttural moan that Scorpius released. Harry pressed kisses up the pale skin until he reached Scorpius’ dark nipples.

Teasing them with his teeth and tongue Harry used one hand to undo Scorpius’ trousers. He leant up and kissed Scorpius before drawing away and down, he took Scorpius’ trousers off and then frowned at the dark blue briefs that were now in his way.

“Harry, Harry please. I need to see you!”

Reluctantly Harry stood from the bed and he stripped his socks off, stumbling in his hurry and then he shoved his trousers down loving the way Scorpius moaned and reached for him.

Climbing back onto the bed Harry lay down on top of Scorpius, careful not to lay all his weight on his lover. Harry picked up Scorpius left arm and sucked the skin about the bandage, “Can we take this off?”

“I don’t know-” Scorpius threw his head back and let out a loud moan as Harry kept sucking. “Fuck, yes! Take it off.”

Harry undid the bandage carefully and ran his tongue over the burn marks that surrounded Scorpius’ wrist. “Harry, please I need you!”

“What do you need?”

“Your cock! Inside me!” Scorpius cried out and Harry reached under the pillow next to Scorpius’ head and drew out the lube he’d stashed there.

“Planning ahead?”

“More like hopeful.”

Scorpius grabbed Harry’s head and pulled him down for a filthy kiss that was more teeth and tongue than anything else. “Scorp, oh Scorp!”

Harry fumbled with the lube and he managed to coat his fingers before reaching down between Scorpius’ legs. Scorpius bent his knees up and spread his legs so Harry could more easily reach his entrance.

Sliding a finger in Harry gasped at the heat and tightness.

“More, fuck Harry, more!”

Adding a second finger and scissoring the two Harry read the cues of Scorpius’ body and added in a third before he had to ask. “Fuck me, Harry.”

Drawing his fingers away Harry slicked his cock and held it steady as he pressed the head inside Scorpius’ tight, hot entrance.

“Oh fucking hell. Bloody, buggering, fucking hell.” Harry gasped out.

“Please, Harry, deeper, more!”

Obeying, Harry slowly pressed in, barely stopping before he was pulling back out again. He went slowly giving Scorpius time to adjust, when his body bucked under Harry’s and he clenched around Harry’s cock, Harry sped up.

He pounded into Scorpius, relishing the way his head was thrown back and his legs were held wide by Harry’s hands. Harry placed them on his shoulders, rhythm faltering for a moment, and then he bent over fucking Scorpius harder and faster, biting at his neck.

Scorpius was crying out with every thrust, he was trying to gain purchase on the bed, Harry’s skin, his hair eventually he lifted his arms and gripped the headboard. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Scorpius chanted and Harry used one hand to pump Scorpius in time with his brutally fast thrusts.

“Oh! Oh! Yes! Yes! Ah! Harry!” Scorpius cried out as he came in wet pearly ropes of come across his chest.

Harry thrust a few more times into Scorpius’ convulsing channel before he came deep inside his lover, biting hard on Scorpius’ neck. Scorpius’ hands stroked down Harry’s back and calmed his quaking muscles as he came down from the high of orgasm.

His cock slipped out from Scorpius with an embarrassing squelch but Scorpius just smiled and gingerly drew his legs from Harry’s shoulders, though he left them bent, feet flat on the bed.

“That was incredible,” Harry said when he could and he sat up to see Scorpius smiling sleepily.

“Yes, it was.”

“Can I try that next time?”

Scorpius’ eyes opened wide, “You want to bottom?”

“Well, yeah,” Harry shrugged uncomfortably, “Why not? You looked like you had a good time.”

“It’s just that it takes a lot of trust for someone to bottom.”

“I trust you.” Harry said simply and Scorpius said nothing; he flung an arm over his eyes and sighed.

“Give me a while, I think you broke me.”

Harry was too busy looking at Scorpius’ body. He had vivid red marks on his neck and left forearm where Harry had bitten him, his chest was wet with his come and from between his thighs Harry could see his own come leaking out of Scorpius’ arse.

Bending closer Harry lifted one of Scorpius’ legs, “Wha’cha doin’?”

“Just looking,” Harry murmured before leaning in even closer and licking at his come.

Scorpius gasped and his leg flailed out of Harry’s hand, “Oh, did that hurt?”

“Fuck no. Just… hang on.” He turned onto his hands and knees bracing himself, “Go ahead.”

Unsure now, Harry gripped both of Scorpius’ arse cheek and spread them. He took his fill of Scorpius’ arse hole, it was red and wide and Harry’s come was leaking out. Breathing in deep, Harry licked a stripe over the hole, his tongue slipped inside and Scorpius let out a loud keening sound.

Figuring that was good, Harry did it again, this time purposefully pointing his tongue into Scorpius’ arse lapping up his own come. He pulled away and panted heavily to breathe when Scorpius’ legs gave way and he collapsed onto the bed, “Please, Harry! _Harry_!”

Harry lay on top of Scorpius and nudged his still slick and hard again cock back into Scorpius’ entrance. Scorpius let out a really loud whine that had Harry’s neighbour bang on the wall to show his displeasure.

Reaching over Harry grabbed his wand and cast a silencing charm before dropping it on the bed and rocking his hips gently. He wasn’t desperate to come, not like Scorpius but Harry couldn’t get a hand under the bed to wank Scorpius off.

Rolling onto his side, bringing Scorpius with him, Harry bent both of their top legs and he started to stroke Scorpius’ cock slowly while rocking into him from behind, Harry pressed gentle kisses to the back of Scorpius’ neck this time. He whispered to him as well, “I love you, I love you, I love you.”

Scorpius was quieter too; he just kept up a steady chant of Harry’s name. His one hand reached around and grabbed Harry’s arse trying to pull him in further or prevent him from moving Harry didn’t know.

They rocked together for a while, and Harry stroked Scorpius to his completion. Harry moved to pull out but Scorpius moaned, “No. Keep going, keep fucking me. I like it.”

“Even after-”

“Yes,” Scorpius turned his head and kissed Harry sweetly, “Even after I’ve come it still feels good. I’ll show you one day.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

Harry fucked into Scorpius slowly and shallowly and when his orgasm came Harry was surprised by the intensity of it. He closed his eyes and saw white as his body convulsed and he was vaguely aware of saying Scorpius' name.  
Scorpius slipped from Harry’s arms and left the room, Harry stared after him in shock. When he came back in Harry was still staring at him, “Oh.” Scorpius’ shoulders dropped, “You thought I wasn’t coming back.”

“No, I’m wondering how you can still walk.”

With a delighted giggle Scorpius got back onto the bed, wiping Harry’s cock with the flannel that he was carrying. Scorpius had clearly cleaned himself up in the bathroom; he tugged the duvet out from under Harry and pressed a kiss to his shoulder.

“I don’t know what to do now.”

“What now you’ve had sex with me?”

“Yes,” Harry drawled, “My life’s mission is complete now.”

Scorpius snorted with laughter and drew patterns on Harry’s chest, “Seriously though.”

“I don’t know if I want to keep being an Auror. I don’t know if I can do it any more, that last case… it broke me, Scorp. It really broke me.”

“I know.” Scorpius said quietly. “I’ve never been so scared in my life.”

“I don’t want you to be afraid of me.”

Harry opened his tired eyes and looked at Scorpius as he rolled until he was on top of Harry. “I’m not afraid of you. I was afraid _for_ you, I didn’t know how to help.”

“It doesn’t matter now. I got the help I needed, but I don’t want to ever have to be in that situation again.”

“Neither do I.” Scorpius lay back down and resumed drawing his patterns. “So what will you do? Go to Hogwarts?”

“I don’t think so. Depends on you, if you want to stay an Auror then I’ll find something close by, maybe Ron’ll let me train new recruits. I really don’t know. But whatever I decide, you’ll be the first to know.”

“Promise?”

Harry pressed a kiss to Scorpius’ blond hair and held him tight for a moment, thinking of the silver band in his drawer. His Mind Healer had told him to go out and buy something for somebody special and he’d come back with a ring for Scorpius. Harry wouldn’t give it to him, not yet anyway.

He whispered into Scorpius’ hair, “Promise.”

 

  
  


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